Summon LDP Suzuki before the Diet: JCP Shii

Japanese Communist Party demands that the Diet summon Suzuki Muneo, an influential Liberal Democratic Party Dietmember who worked on two NGO groups to be excluded from the International NGO Conference for Afghanistan Assistance.

At a news conference on January 31, JCP Executive Committee Chair Shii Kazuo stated that the problem related to the NGO conference in late January has raised serious doubts about Japan's diplomacy. Influential LDP Dietmembers herding on special interests have systematically monopolized national politics at will.

In order to clarify the real aspect of the 'NGO issue,' Suzuki must be summoned as a sworn witness before the Diet, Shii stressed.

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro was completely wrong on this; the he said Suzuki was "manly" enough to resign, although it was Suzuki himself that pressed the Foreign Ministry to prevent NGOs from attending the conference, and dismissed Foreign Minister Tanaka Makiko who tried to correct the erroneous ministry step, Shii said.

Koizumi dismissed Tanaka to hush up the truth about the 'NGO' issue by siding with an influential LDP Dietmember and foreign ministry top officials. "Is there any sign of 'political reform' in this? Nothing but outdated LDP politics itself," Shii said.

Also, urged by Suzuki, the foreign ministry withdrew its decision to assist foreign NGOs attending the NGO Tokyo Conference for Afghanistan Assistance in December 2001, Shii pointed out. "LDP fraction bosses are always interfering in state affairs," Shii said.

The JCP chair emphasized that Japan's foreign policy has been distorted by their interference.

The JCP, in close cooperation with other opposition parties, will make efforts to get Suzuki summoned in the Diet, Shii expressed.

In reply to a question by a reporter that the public support rate for the Koizumi Cabinet is expected to drop in the wake of Tanaka's dismissal, Shii said, "Many people, seeing the weakness of his political principles, are learning the real nature of the Koizumi cabinet, and giving up on expecting any substantial "reform" from the cabinet."

"Koizumi has neither the least amount of courage nor a stance to thoroughly reform old-fashioned, interest-first, completely corrupted, and "pork barrel" LDP politics," Shii added. (end)